This Pure and Genuine Affection Is Also Quite Enviable
Su Jingyang actually learned some things about Ling Li from Rong Hua’s story, one of them being that Ling Li would die of illness in the future. Su Jingyang carefully calculated a rough timeframe and guessed Ling Li probably lived to nearly seventy.
Hearing about Ling Li’s life and death so suddenly made Su Jingyang’s heart feel a little bitter. After thinking it over though, he reminded himself that everyone dies eventually. Ling Li living to seventy, in an ancient era like this, counted as a long life. That thought made him feel a little better.
While waiting for Rong Hua’s news, Su Jingyang and Rong Ci often took the two children out to stroll in the garden. One time, they ran into Rong Xia. Su Jingyang had almost forgotten this child existed. He froze for a moment when he saw him.
Rong Xia walked past holding two books. His little face held no expression. Compared to before, he looked much calmer and quieter, and he’d also lost some of a child’s pure innocence. Seeing them, Rong Xia stopped and properly greeted them before leaving.
Rong Ci noticed Su Jingyang’s expression looked complicated and told him Rong Xia already knew about his own background. Su Jingyang finally understood. “No wonder he looks like that now… He’s quite pitiful too.”
Rong Ci gave a low “Mm” and said, “Children without mothers by their side are all pitiful.”
Su Jingyang glanced at Ah Yu wriggling and wailing in his arms and felt his chest tighten.
Ah Xi was chewing on Rong Ci’s finger. Su Jingyang saw the little cuts all over Rong Ci’s hand again, all newly added recently. He truly couldn’t hold it in any longer and asked, “It’s been so long already. Does your formation really need blood every single day?”
Rong Ci blinked, looking at him with a smile. “This is a major matter. A little blood is nothing.”
“It just feels more and more weird.” Su Jingyang grew even more suspicious. He stared at him hard for a long while before saying, “Rong Ci, be honest. Are you secretly doing something behind my back?”
Rong Ci pulled his finger back from Ah Xi’s saliva-soaked grip and gave him a half-smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “What could I be doing? Even if I were doing something, could it escape your sharp eyes?” He tipped his chin. “Hey, look over there. The messenger’s here with a letter.”
Su Jingyang followed his gaze and, sure enough, saw someone coming to deliver a letter. The interruption threw him off, and he ended up forgetting to press Rong Ci any further.
The letter was Rong Hua’s reply. He said something had delayed him and told them to set off first, and he’d chase after them once he finished handling things. Rong Hua didn’t say exactly what it was, but Su Jingyang could vaguely guess it was probably related to Ming Jiasheng.
Su Jingyang genuinely hoped Rong Hua could find someone who would treat him wholeheartedly rather than suffering and wasting his life again because of Ming Jiasheng. Ming Jiasheng’s mistakes truly weren’t worth forgiving.
…
Yongning Palace.
Ling Li grew tired from reading and stood up, planning to lean back on the daybed for a short nap. After becoming pregnant, he was always getting sleepy. With the palace maids attending him, he let down his hair and removed his outer robe. Before he even lay down, someone reported that His Highness the Crown Prince had arrived. Ling Li put his clothes back on and waited for him to enter.
Ah Xuan first paid his respects to Ling Li, then snuggled close and sat beside him. With bright, sparkling eyes, he said, “This time when your son left the palace, I encountered a remarkable person from the martial world. He’s incredible at tricks. Anyone who’s in a bad mood will laugh the moment they see him.”
Ling Li couldn’t help laughing. “Someone like that really exists?”
“Really!” Ah Xuan shook Ling Li’s arm. “I thought he was amazing, so I brought him into the palace. Father Empress can laugh too and feel happy. May your son call him in now?”
Ling Li agreed. Just as he had someone straighten his crown and clothing, Ah Xuan clapped his hands. A head suddenly poked into the bedchamber doorway, and a clear, bright voice with a smile rang out, “Then I’m coming in, okay?”
This voice familiar to the bone…
Ling Li’s body trembled. Under Ah Xuan’s beaming gaze, he turned his head abruptly in disbelief, just in time to see the person walking over.
Ling Li felt like he was dreaming. He held his breath, staring at the newcomer without daring to blink, afraid that the moment he blinked, the scene in front of him would shatter.
That person stepped up before him and offered a salute. Those dark, bright, clear eyes fixed on him, and he asked softly, “Your Majesty the Empress, does this humble one’s performance of making a living person appear meet your satisfaction?”
…
Rong Ci was led by the guards to the martial field where Ming Zhan was practicing archery. He wore a crimson, narrow-sleeved martial outfit. His side profile was tall and straight, heroic and dashing. He drew the bow to full tension. The arrow shot out and struck the bullseye.
He turned to look at Rong Ci. “Come. Compete with me.”
Rong Ci lifted his mouth into a carefree grin and strode forward, pleased. “All right, how shall we compete?”
They competed with moving targets, seeing who could hit more. After three rounds, Rong Ci won by a slight margin.
Ming Zhan’s dark eyes rested on Rong Ci. “Rongcheng City Lord, excellent shooting. In this palace, you’re the only one who dares to beat me.”
Rong Ci said, “I only won by one arrow. Your Majesty shoots well too.”
After exchanging compliments, they looked at each other and smiled for a moment. Ming Zhan withdrew his gaze first, changed into different clothes, and drank tea with Rong Ci. Just then, someone came to report that the Empress would not be dining with him this evening.
Ming Zhan’s expression stiffened. He scoffed lightly. “I knew it would be like this.”
His heavy dark eyes settled on Rong Ci. Ming Zhan said slowly, with pointed meaning, “Rongcheng City Lord, the two of us need to be careful. Watch out for a fire in the inner palace.”
Back when Ling Li was still in Rongcheng, Ming Zhan had written him letters frequently. Every time, he waited eagerly for a reply, yet the replies… It couldn’t be called perfunctory exactly, but Ming Zhan could see traces of forced effort. Though somewhat disappointed, he took it as Ling Li not being good at such words.
A few days ago, however, Ming Zhan saw Ling Li light up with joy after receiving Su Jingyang’s letter, then promptly sitting down to write passionately for several pages without stopping. Only then did Ming Zhan truly taste what “different treatment” felt like, and he couldn’t help feeling a little sour.
Rong Ci knew what Ming Zhan meant. He set down his teacup and spoke with an air like he had already accepted it long ago. “Without the two of us, they would’ve spent their whole lives together.” Rong Ci then lowered his voice with a faint smile. “Actually, being able to maintain such a pure and special affection is also quite enviable. Let them be.”
Ming Zhan snorted coldly through his nose but said nothing in opposition.
Rong Ci lowered his head and took a sip of tea. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly asked, “I heard Ling Li is with child?”
Ming Zhan’s fingers tapping the table paused. He lifted his eyes and studied Rong Ci for a moment. A flash of coldness passed through his gaze. “If you want to say something, say it directly.”
Rong Ci met his eyes and held them. Only after a long look did he say, “I know there are things you can’t possibly be kept from… Yet since you love him and understand him, you should also understand and empathize with the fear and unease he felt back then. It would be better to speak openly and clearly with each other, so it doesn’t stay hidden for too long and turn into a knot in the heart.”
“You’re quite concerned about my Empress.” Ming Zhan said, “But you needn’t remind me. Between us, there won’t be any knot in the heart.”
Back then, when Ling Li didn’t want the child and kept trying to avoid it, Ming Zhan understood it was connected to how, years ago, he had killed Qin Yu, the personal guard who had followed him for many years, without mercy. Ling Li feared he would end up like Qin Yu, meeting a bleak, tragic fate.
Qin Yu had been loyal and planned everything for him, but his mistake was that he shouldn’t have acted on his own and tried to hide it from him, making Ming Zhan feel like he had been tricked and kept in the dark. It completely betrayed and destroyed all the trust he had.
However much he’d trusted, that’s how angry he’d been then.
Ming Zhan was very particular about this point.
Things were different now. Today, he wouldn’t kill in a hot-blooded, impulsive way again. He would have other arrangements, like how he handled Song Hui. Because Song Hui had hidden and failed to report something, Ming Zhan punished him.
As expected, Ling Li pleaded for him. After the punishment, Ming Zhan went along with it and smoothly placed Song Hui by Ling Li’s side as the captain of the guards. He also spoke with Ling Li for half the night, and in the end told him this matter would be dropped and not mentioned again.
A trace of surprise flashed in Rong Ci’s eyes. He smiled. “It seems I worried unnecessarily.”
Ming Zhan gave a snort. “The Ming family’s Emperors all die young. If I keep tugging and pulling over old matters with him at my age, I might not have many comfortable days left myself.” Ming Zhan continued, “As long as he’s willing to stay by my side, I can protect him steadily for a lifetime. The past can stay in the past. I’m not completely unreasonable either.” He added with a hum, “Look at him refusing to eat dinner with me. Did I say anything?”
Rong Ci raised his teacup toward him and arched a brow. “Your Majesty, how about I keep you company?”
Ming Zhan’s mouth twitched. “That will do.”
…
Su Jingyang reached out and gently touched Ling Li’s slightly rounded belly. He saw Ling Li’s rosy complexion and the gentle smile in his brows and eyes. That comfortable, warm, serene air around him made it obvious he had been cared for very well. Su Jingyang immediately felt much more at ease.
Ling Li stared at him without blinking. The delight in his eyes hadn’t faded. Sitting face-to-face with him, he held Su Jingyang’s hand and asked, “Didn’t you say you would wait until the children turned one before coming?”
“I wanted to surprise you. Did I surprise you?” Su Jingyang tilted his head and grinned brightly at him.
Ling Li nodded hard. “I’m truly happy. I saw what you wrote in your letter and thought I would have to wait a long time.”
Ling Li raised a hand and touched Su Jingyang’s face, unable to suppress a smile. “You have… gotten tanned.”
Su Jingyang laughed. They brought the two children with them when they came to Jincheng. Since the kids couldn’t stay in the carriage for half a day straight, they had to stop frequently to let them run around and play. With all that stopping and starting, it took them two full months to arrive.
The weather was still blazing, and Su Jingyang often took the kids out to play. His skin tanned easily. After all that sun, Rong Ci had even stopped calling him by name and switched to “dark skin,” even saying seeing him made everything go dark before his eyes. It really infuriated him!
Su Jingyang didn’t think he was that dark. It was wheat-colored, super healthy. He thoroughly disdained Rong Ci for having no appreciation.
Ling Li asked why he hadn’t seen the two children. Su Jingyang said, “When we came, they were both asleep. I’ll bring them over another day for you to see.”
Ling Li nodded. “Alright.”
Ling Li wanted to take Su Jingyang’s other hand, but his gaze flicked inadvertently and he noticed the mole in Su Jingyang’s palm had already darkened in color. He fell silent for a moment before lifting his eyes to look at him, hesitating as if he wanted to speak. “Jingyang, you…”
“Aiya, you saw it.” Su Jingyang said, “I was going to tell you. Just over a month.”
This child had been conceived on the road to Jincheng. When Su Jingyang discovered it, he froze for a moment, then had no other strong reaction. Compared to the first time, when he had been shocked and unable to accept it, he could steady himself a little now, because this child was Rong Ci’s.
Ling Li looked at him quietly without speaking. Su Jingyang squeezed his hand back, smiling with curved eyes. Ling Li still saw the faint shimmer of tears trembling in Su Jingyang’s gaze.
Su Jingyang’s lips trembled slightly before he finally said in a low voice, “Ah Li, thank you. Really, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. It’s just… I might not be able to go home for now.”
Ling Li felt the warmth in Su Jingyang’s palm, and the way his grip loosened and tightened as if he was trying to say something. After a brief daze, he suddenly understood why Su Jingyang was saying this now. His eyes widened slightly, about to speak, yet Su Jingyang, worried, gently shook his head at him.
Ling Li still spoke anyway. He looked at Su Jingyang and said softly, “I’m doing well now. You’ve seen it, haven’t you? Don’t worry about me.”
Before Su Jingyang could answer, Ling Li continued in the same gentle voice, “Jingyang, you have to remember this. From now on, no matter what decision you make, it should be because of your own heart, not because of me. Understand? As long as you can be happy and live well, everything I did is worth it, and I’ll be happy for you.”
Su Jingyang looked into those calm eyes, deep and still like autumn water, and understood what Ling Li meant in an instant.
Ling Li meant that if Su Jingyang wanted to go home, he should go home because he wanted to, not because he didn’t want to waste everything Ling Li had done for him.
Su Jingyang’s nose stung. Tears fell uncontrollably, pattering down. He hugged Ling Li, buried his face against his shoulder, and choked out, “I know. Silly Ah Li…”
After that, Su Jingyang went into the palace every few days to keep Ling Li company, bringing Ah Xi and Ah Yu along so Ling Li could see them too. After Su Jingyang started coming, Ling Li’s mood obviously brightened. Sometimes when Su Jingyang didn’t go, Ming Zhan even sent people to fetch him.
On two separate occasions, seeing that Ling Li was truly reluctant to part from Su Jingyang, Ming Zhan even permitted Su Jingyang to stay overnight in Yongning Palace with Ling Li.
Su Jingyang observed and weighed things many times and sensed that Ming Zhan truly was very different from Ming Jiasheng. This man could have the occasional strange temper, but he treated Ling Li with single-minded devotion. His words and actions were full of care and love. Su Jingyang had also met Ling Li’s nominal elder brother. It was only a brief meeting, yet Su Jingyang felt he was upright and open, righteous in spirit. He treated Ling Li with respect and also with a bit of closeness, like he truly regarded Ling Li as a real younger brother.
The stone in Su Jingyang’s heart finally settled a little.
Su Jingyang and Rong Ci stayed in Jincheng for over a month but still didn’t receive any sign of Rong Hua arriving. Su Jingyang went into the palace to bid Ling Li a lingering, reluctant farewell, and they agreed he would come again next year to visit. Then Su Jingyang and Rong Ci took the two children and returned to Rongcheng together.
Author’s Note:
Countdown, countdown, countdown!!!
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